Orange Ginger Chicken Skewers are an easy, delicious way to grill a whole chicken for your summer cookout. I broke down and carved a whole chicken for this recipe but you could certainly buy breasts or thighs to marinade and grill if you'd like. I may have a love affair with Orange, Ginger, and Chili marinades. I used a similar marinade recently for Asian Chicken Tacos and I can tell you I use this base more often than any other marinade. It works great with Chicken, Beef, Pork and Fish. Sometimes I'll add honey for added sweetness and / or some soy sauce for a salty umami flavor.
Combine freshly squeezed orange juice, freshly grated ginger, and chopped habanero in a medium bowl.
If using a whole chicken, break down in to quarters. Transfer the wings and drumsticks to the marinade. Debone the breasts and thighs and slice in to quarter in thick slices. Transfer to marinade and chill in refrigerator covered for 2-4 hours.
While the chicken is marinading, soak 6-10 skewers in water.
Preheat your grill and oil the grates.
Skewer chicken breasts and thighs. Reserve marinade to brush over while grilling.
Place skewers, wings and drumsticks on oiled grill grates. Grill skewers over medium heat until they can easily lift off of the grill. Rotate every 2-3 minutes until centers are opaque - about 15-20 minutes total depending on your grill. Brush marinade over chicken often and up to 4 minutes before they're done cooking.
Dress chicken with coarse sea salt, cilantro and orange wedges. Serve with a side of Jasmine Rice.
Notes
While brushing the marinade over the chicken while it's grilling, be mindful that you had raw meat in there for hours. Give it time to cook before serving. You can discard the marinade after using it or you could save some to reduce in a pot over high heat to make a glaze. Whisk in a teaspoon of cornstarch to thicken if desired.